Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/410

 vessels, which shall have been registered by virtue of the act, intituled “,” and those which after the last day of March next, shall be registered, pursuant to this act. and no other (except such as shall be duly qualified, according to law, for carrying on the coasting trade and fisheries, or one of them) shall be denominated and deemed ships or vessels of the United States, entitled to the benefits and privileges appertaining to such ships or vessels: Provided, That they shall not continue to enjoy the same, longer than they shall continue to be wholly owned, and to be commanded by a citizen or citizens of the said states.

. And be it further enacted, That ships or vessels built within the United States, whether before or after, the fourth of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, and belonging wholly to a citizen or citizens thereof, or not built within the said states, but on the sixteenth day of May, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, belonging and thenceforth continuing to belong to a citizen or citizens thereof, and ships or vessels which may hereafter be captured in war, by such citizen or citizens, and lawfully condemned as prize, or which have been, or may be adjudged to be forfeited for a breach of the laws of the United States, being wholly owned by a citizen or citizens thereof, and no other, may be registered as herein after directed: Provided, That no such ship or vessel shall be entitled to be so registered, or if registered, to the benefits thereof, if owned in whole, or in part, by any citizen of the United States, who usually resides in a foreign country, during the continuance of such residence, unless such citizen be in the capacity of a consul of the United States, or an agent for, and a partner in, some house of trade or co-partnership, consisting of citizens of the said states actually carrying on trade within the said states: And provided further, That no ship or vessel, built within the United States, prior to the said sixteenth day of May, which was not then owned wholly, or in part, by a citizen or citizens of the United States, shall be capable of being registered, by virtue of any transfer to a citizen or citizens, which may hereafter be made, unless by way of prize or forfeiture: Provided nevertheless, That this shall not be construed to prevent the registering anew, of any ship or vessel, which was before registered, pursuant to the act before mentioned.

. And be it further enacted, That every ship or vessel, hereafter to be registered (except as is herein after provided) shall be registered by the collector of the district in which shall be comprehended the port to which such ship or vessel shall belong, at the time of her registry, which port shall be deemed to be that, at or nearest to which, the owner, if there be but one, or if more than one, the husband or acting and managing owner of such ship or vessel, usually resides. And the name of the said ship or vessel, and of the port to which she shall so belong, shall be painted on her stern, on a black ground, in white letters, of not less than three inches in length. And if any ship or vessel of the United States, shall be found, without having her name, and the name of the port, to which she belongs, painted in manner aforesaid, the owner or owners shall forfeit fifty dollars; one half to the person